Toulalan - We need to beat Reds

Jeremy Toulalan says Fiorentina's win over Liverpool means Lyon will also have to beat the Reds to qualify from Group E.

By Patrick Haond

Last Updated: 30/09/09 6:21pm

Lyon star Jeremy Toulalan says Fiorentina's win over Liverpool in UEFA Champions League Group E means the French outfit will also have to beat the Reds.

Fiorentina beat Liverpool 2-0 to move into second in the table behind Lyon, who have won both their opening games.

Toulalan believes Fiorentina's victory has changed the balance in the group and his side will also have to beat the Reds at least once in their two upcoming ties to guarantee progress into the knockout phase.

Toulalan, whose side followed up their narrow 1-0 opening game victory against Fiorentina with a 4-0 thrashing at Debrecen on Tuesday night, told L'Equipe: "It is a shame Fiorentina defeated Liverpool, so it is not necessarily a good night for us.

"I believed Liverpool would have got a good result in Italy. We will have to win at least one match against the Englishmen.

Changed everything

"That result has quite changed everything."

Lyon coach Claude Puel was satisfied with the good performance in Hungary and believes the group will be very close between the top three sides.

"I consider Debrecen as a good team - we made that match easy because we have quality and we took it the right way," he said.

"I would have preferred Fiorentina to have lost points or be defeated at home, above all as they were without (top scorer Alberto) Gilardino.

"That shows the quality of that team and our performance against them in the Stade Gerland.